Synopsis
A weekly podcast, with insightful conversations about edtech and the future of learning, hosted by EdSurge's Jenny Abamu and Jeffrey R. Young. Whether youre an entrepreneur, an educator, or an investor, theres something for everyone on the air.
Episodes
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Live from ASCD + ISTE with Victoria Andrews
29/08/2025 Duration: 07minCarl Hooker brings us a live podcast from the ISTE+ASCD conference in San Antonio, Texas. He connects with conference attendees, friends old and new, asking each to share a problem they're working to solve in their corner of the education world — or, as Carl puts it: “Tell me your idea spark." Carl sits down with Victoria Andrews. She’s Partner, Professional Learning at Getting Smart. In this role, Victoria is focusing on closing the gap in AI media literacy. This episode of The Idea Spark is brought to you by EdSurge Solutions Studio.
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Live at ASCD + ISTE with Leo Ortiz Villacorta
29/08/2025 Duration: 07minCarl Hooker brings us a live podcast from the ISTE+ASCD conference in San Antonio, Texas. He connects with conference attendees, friends old and new, asking each to share a problem they're working to solve in their corner of the education world — or, as Carl puts it: “Tell me your idea spark." Carl sits down with Leonardo Ortiz Villacorta (aka Leo). Leo is a leader in communications, global social impact, and public affairs at Pokemon. This episode of The Idea Spark is brought to you by EdSurge Solutions Studio.
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Live at ASCD + ISTE with Bria Jones
29/08/2025 Duration: 05minCarl Hooker brings us a live podcast from the ISTE+ASCD conference in San Antonio, Texas. He connects with conference attendees, friends old and new, asking each to share a problem they're working to solve in their corner of the education world — or, as Carl puts it: “Tell me your idea spark." Carl sits down with Bria Jones. Her title is Customer Success, Wakelet & bulb, and in this role she is focusing on the curation space for both educators and learners. Find out how Bria defines an “unexpected idea spark.” This episode of The Idea Spark is brought to you by EdSurge Solutions Studio.
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Live from ISTE + ASCD with Jerod Wright
25/08/2025 Duration: 07minLive from ISTE + ASCD with Jerod Wright by EdSurge Podcast
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Live from ISTE+ASCD with Peggy Hammond
15/08/2025 Duration: 06minCarl Hooker brings us a live podcast from the ISTE+ASCD conference in San Antonio, Texas. He connects with conference attendees, friends old and new, asking each to share a problem they're working to solve in their corner of the education world — or, as Carl puts it: “Tell me your idea spark." In this episode, Carl sits down with Peggy Hammond. She teaches technical theater at the Alabama School of Fine Arts.She has an innovative idea for a live podcast of her own! This episode of The Idea Spark is brought to you by EdSurge Solutions Studio.
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Live from ISTE+ASCD with Barbara Bray
15/08/2025 Duration: 04minCarl Hooker brings us a live podcast from the ISTE+ASCD conference in San Antonio, Texas. He connects with conference attendees, friends old and new, asking each to share a problem they're working to solve in their corner of the education world — or, as Carl puts it: “Tell me your idea spark." In this episode, Carl sits down with Barbara Bray, an author, speaker, podcaster, coach, story weaver, and difference-maker who is passionate about transforming teaching and learning. This episode of The Idea Spark is brought to you by EdSurge Solutions Studio.
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Live from ISTE+ASCD with Erika Sandstrom
13/08/2025 Duration: 06minIn this episode, Carl sits down with Erika Sandstrom, a Digital Learning Coach and Digital Media Teacher specializing in Green Screen and Video Production.
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Live from ISTE+ASCD with Crystal Yang
13/08/2025 Duration: 04minLive from ISTE+ASCD with Crystal Yang by EdSurge Podcast
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Live from ISTE+ASCD with Tony Vincent
13/08/2025 Duration: 05minIn this episode, Carl speaks with Tony Vincent, an independent consultant, speaker, and AI Coordinator at Council Bluffs Community School District.
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Dual Enrollment Unpacked
12/06/2025 Duration: 21minCarl sits down with Laura Weiss, senior director of commercial strategy and growth initiatives at Pearson, to explore how dual enrollment and early career pathways are helping students move more efficiently and affordably toward their professional goals. Discussion focuses on high-quality, virtual asynchronous courses that support a wide range of learners, and how these models are reshaping the journey from high school to career. This week’s episode of The Idea Spark is brought to you by Pearson and the Solutions Studio team.
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The Evolving Landscape of CTE
01/05/2025 Duration: 21minCareer and Technical Education (CTE) programs are evolving, becoming more deeply integrated into mainstream high school curricula. Alongside this transition is an expanded perspective on career exploration, and a stronger emphasis on student agency and well-being. In this first episode of a new series, The Idea Spark podcast, host Carl Hooker speaks with Elyse Monahan, a former CTE educator and current National Product Sales Specialist at Pearson. They discuss the transformation of CTE, and how these programs are adapting to provide students a more well-rounded, future-ready education.
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How a Vacant School Building Became a Symbol of Loss, and Then Hope, for a Dying Small Town
14/01/2025 Duration: 54minWhen the only school in Donora, Pennsylvania, closed a few years ago, it hit the town’s residents hard. Now the building may be the town’s best hope, as a community college considers setting up in the former school. A University of Pittsburgh professor spent three years documenting life in this fading town for an unusual podcast series that ran late last year. Education was a key theme. On this week's EdSurge Podcast, we talk to the professor about her takeaways for the role of education in the many forgotten small towns around the U.S.